


The Start of... Something.

by turtlewithatardis



Series: The Start of... Something. [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-18
Updated: 2014-03-20
Packaged: 2018-01-13 00:15:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1205719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turtlewithatardis/pseuds/turtlewithatardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The BAU agents are back to work after Christmas. Some new information regarding Hotch is uncovered by Gina and an odd encounter between Hotch and Anderson leaves Anderson more confused than ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Start of... Something.

The BAU agents are back to work after Christmas. Some new information regarding Hotch is uncovered by Gina and an odd encounter between Hotch and Anderson leaves Anderson more confused than ever.

Anderson strolled into the BAU just after 8am, a cup of coffee and a bagel in hand. He smiled at the agents that passed him, everyone still high on Christmas spirit, just as he was. After his fast coming Christmas tradition he’d fallen asleep watching old Christmas movies. He’d woken with the picture of Santa Hotch staring at him from the pillow next to him. His high would continue a couple more nights after that.

Anderson stopped at his desk, placed his breakfast down beside his new pencil-case and then sat. He looked up towards the office overlooking the bullpen. The light was on and he could make out Hotch’s lean figure bent over his desk, most likely signing reports and taking consults. He;d seen JJ leave Hotch’s office from the elevator with multiple files. Can’t catch a break, Anderson thought. He looked away from the office before he drew attention to himself, remembering the time he was caught by Rossi. Sighing,he started to gt to work on the files that had gathered on his desk and settled in for long day.

By 11.30 he’d managed to work his way through nearly half of the files before Gina came over and dropped some more files on top of them. She laughed at his pained expression.

"Hey." she said, taking a seat on the edge of Anderson’s desk.

"Hi," he replied.

"You were staring again."

"I- What? I’ve no idea what you’re talking about."

"Oh my God, it’s so obvious! You were totally just gawking at him before I came over. And this morning."

Anderson’s head snapped up at that. “I was not ‘gawking at him,” he said, mentally berating himself for getting caught. Again.

"Oh please! It was like Clara when Eleven regenerated. Complete and utter awe," She said. "You always look at him like that. He does it too."

"Don’t mention the new ep, haven’t seen it yet. And I do not look at him like I’m in awe."

"You. Anderson. You haven’t seen…" A beat passed. "Ohh, I seeee. Too concentrated on lover boy," she teased.

"HE’S NOT MY… he’s not my lover boy," Anderson said through gritted teeth as he looked around for anyone that might be listening.

"But you want him to be. Don’t deny it. I know you."

He held his retort. “Look, there’s no point in even discussing this. It’s just some ridiculous crush or something. It’ll pass. Besides, he’s with someone.”

"Not anymore."

"What? … What?"

"Yup," Gina said. "Heard him and Rossi talking about it today in the break room. Hotch said the distance was only hurting people and the best thing to do was to end it. So they did."

Anderson mulled this new information over but Gina wasn’t finished.

"… I felt sorry for him but then I remembered ‘Hey! I know someone close by that’s nuts for you, just like you are’."

"Hotch is not nuts for me. You are nuts."

"Oh yeah!" she exclaimed as she swatted the back of his head with a file. "Then why did Rossi say that ‘maybe you can focus on the person close to you now’. You should totally ask him out.Just sayin’."

"And get wrote up for harassment or something?! Anyway Hotch isn’t gay."

"How do you know that? Maybe that’s the real reason they broke u, he fell in love with her brother or something."

"That’s just ridiculous," Anderson said with a shake of his head.

"Come on… You know what I mean," Gina said. She stood when she saw Hotch making his way towards Anderson.

"Anderson, hey. Can I speak with you a moment, please?" Hotch asked, nodding at Gina who left. She turned back to Anderson and wiggled her eyebrows. He bit the inside of his cheek to hide his grin and shook his head at her..

"What can I do for you, sir?" Anderson asked.

"Can I get the Bruce report from you, please?"

"Yeah, sure," Anderson searched through the files on his desk, cursing the effect Hotch had on him as his hands shook when he handed him the file. Yeah, just a crush. “Here you go.”

Hotch took the file from Anderson. Hotch looked out of place, fidgeting with the file he now had. Anderson though he’d given the wrong file.

"Is everything OK? It should be the right file."

"No, no it’s fine. I, uh, I hope you had a good Christmas," Hotch said, any traces of the smile he’d tried to give gone within seconds.

Anderson stared at hm, momentarily stunned. “Yeah. I had dinner with a few friends. You, Jack, and Beth have a good one?” Anderson asked. You idiot. You complete fool, what are you thinking!. Anderson’s thought were stopped by Hotch’s answer.

"Me and Jack had a great day. He really enjoyed the ‘Diary of a Whimpy Kid’ from you. He’s already started it. You really didn’t have to get him anything."

"It was no problem. I remember how much he enjoyed the last present I got him a few years ago. And we talked about a lot of books and reading the last time he was here. It was fun."

"Well, we both appreciate it," Hotch said, smiling at Anderson. "I better get back to work, my pile is nearly triple what you’ve got."

Anderson smiled and before he could respond Hotch reached up to his arm and half-patted, half-squeezed it and lingered for longer than either of them thought he would. Hotch turned and left Anderson to his own pile of files. He sat and looked toward Gina, subsequently missing Rossi’s approving smirk at Hotch, to see her giving him a thumbs up. He wasn’t sure what to make of what had just happened and this wasn’t the time or place to even begin to try to make sense of it. Right now the only thing he was sure of was that paperwork would not do itself.


	2. The Coffee Mix-Up

If there was one thing Aaron Hotchner hated it was Unsubs. Especially the kind that took away time that should be spent with his son. Which is why when Cruz ordered his team to at least a weeks stand down, he didn’t question it. Of course he knew he still had work to do but knowing that he’d be able to see his son without the fear of being called away on a case put a smile on his face that just wouldn’t leave.

After dropping Jack off at school with the promise of a pizza and movie night, Hotch headed to the little coffee shop down the street from the BAU. Stepping out of his car, he entered and familiarized himself with the place. He’d recognized the shop logo in the window from the Styrofoam cups that filled the bins of the BAU. Although he’d had coffee from this place, he’d only ever been in it tow or three times, as the team were the ones that usually picked him up something. More recently it had been Anderson who’d taken on that job. Once his order of two large black coffees and two blueberry muffins was ready, he paid the cashier and headed back to the BAU.

Anderson walked through the bullpen towards Hotch’s office. He slowed his step as he approached the steps, careful not to drop or spill the cups of coffee he was holding. He smiled at the cleaner who let him in to Hotch’s office. Once in he placed a cup of coffee on Hotch’s desk, placed the blueberry muffin he had in his other hand down beside it, and took this mornings paper out from under his arms and placed it in beside both. He glanced at the clock directly across from Hotch’s desk and smiled when he saw it was 8:50am, and Hotch had yet to show up. He picked up the note pad at the side of Hotch’s desk and pulled a pencil from his pocket and left Hotch a note that simply said ‘EAT.’, took his cup of coffee and muffin, and left.

Hotch stepped out of the BAU elevators at 9am. His first task of the day was to not drop or spill the cups of coffee he held. Using his shoulder, he pushed open the glass doors of the BAU and headed towards Anderson’s desk, curious as to why he wasn’t there. He relaxed some when he saw Anderson’s stuff on his desk. Must be off doing… God know what. Hotch slowly put the cup of coffee on Anderson’s desk and set the blueberry muffin down beside it, careful not to spill anything. Feeling like he was being watched, he looked up to see Rossi watching him with a small smirk. He sighed and tried his best not to look like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. Not that what he was doing was wrong, he just wasn’t a fan of giving Dave more ammo when he’d be questioned later about this. He took his cup of coffee and muffin, and left.

When Anderson got back to his desk from Garcia’s office after checking she was OK and making sure she would keep her freak out over new Doctor Who images to a quiet freak out, he stopped and did a double check. ‘Coffee and a muffin in my hands… coffee and a muffin on my desk’ he thought to himself as he looked around, although he had no idea what for. ‘Two coffees. Two muffins.’ His eyes landed on Hotch’s office, noting the light was on and saw Hotch looking out at the bull pen. ‘No. No, he’s looking at you.’ Anderson stopped when he saw what Hotch was holding in his hands.

"Two cups," Anderson whispered to himself, biting his lip in an attempt to stop his smile at the uncovering of the mystery coffee giver. The buzzing of his phone broke his and Hotch’s stare.

'I owe you a lot of coffee. About a few months worth at this point.'

He smiled at the screen.

'I think you mean a few years worth.'

'If it's that much then we should at least have some together.'

Oh God. Anderson’s finger fumbled as he tried to type a response.

'Yeah, sure. I think it'd be smart if we had some together tomorrow, when there's less of a chance you'll be called away from me.'

'It's a date.'

Anderson grinned at his phone, not caring who saw him. He looked at Hotch who was looking at him and wore a matching grin. Neither of them had any idea how they’d gotten to this but each was glad they went to get coffee.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hotch is helping Anderson get back to full health. Fast forward considerably from their last encounter.

"Come on... you gotta keep up." Hotch panted, as he ran towards the park bench that had been deemed the finish line. He looked back to check on Anderson who had slowed towards the end of the run.

"You... you go... I'll catch..." Anderson stopped with a groan, resting his hands on his knees as he attempted to catch his breath.

Hotch jogged back to him, putting a hand on Anderson's shoulders to steady him.

"It's not that far now. You can see the bench from here. You can make it." Hotch said, willing Anderson to continue.

"Maybe... not."

"That's the closest bench to us and the ground doesn't look too comfortable." Hotch told him. Anderson knew he had a point but all he wanted to do was stop.

"It doesn't look too bad..." Anderson said as he looked skeptically at the rugged stones on the ground.

Hotch sighed and took another approach. "Just imagine: you run the last of this and that bench is all yours. You can get to that bench and you're done for the day. Or, you can fall to the cold, hard ground and have stones digging in to you. You're choice, Grant."

"You're terrible to me." Anderson said, groaning as he straightened up and started to jog. If Hotch had a problem with the slow pace he said nothing of it.

Hotch stuck beside Anderson the rest of the way, silently encouraging him. He slowed when they approached the bench, watching Anderson fall in to it and cursing everything and anything.

"We're done... please, no more." Anderson begged as he lay panting.

"For today, anyway." Chuckling as Anderson continued cursing about there not being a god, Hotch checked their time. "10 miles in just over an hour."

Hotch ignored him. "How's the leg?"

Anderson rubbed at his thigh, wincing slightly. "Not too bad. Doesn't hurt much, just a kinda dull feeling." He sat up and gladly took the water Hotch was handing him.

"You're getting better. Two more weeks of this and you'll be back to work in no time."

"But not the field. Like it was before the 'Hey Anderson, watch out for the crazy guy with a gun!' incident, right?"

"Yes. You weren't even supposed to be out in the field. You'll be office bound."

"So if I was shot in the bullpen, would I have to go through all of this?" Anderson asked, half joking-half serious. 

"I'm not sure how it works. But it is fun to annoy you so I'm going to say if it had happened in the bullpen you wouldn't have to do this."

"Well in that case, I wish the bastard had shot me in the bullpen."

"Or not at all." Hotch said, looking at Anderson who stared back.

"Yeah... Although, one good thing did come out of this."

"And what's that?"

"You were the one bringing the coffee."

"True. It was a long two months. We did go through a lot of coffee."

"We still do!"

They both laughed. Hotch was the first to stop and held a hand out for Anderson.

"If you can move, we could go get some." Hotch said, smiling down at Anderson.

Anderson tilted his head and pretended to think about it.

"I think that's do-able," he replied and took Hotch's outstretched hand and pulled himself up, groaning as he stumbled in to Hotch.

"You keep that moaning and groaning up and we're going to end up in a situation neither of us will be able to explain." Hotch said as he kept a hand on Anderson's back.

"But those are the best kind of situations." Anderson said, laughing when Hotch gave him a mock glare as they started to walk towards the car park.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took my time posting this. A lot happened in the missing two months and that will be addressed. There's no fixed time. Any mistakes are mine.


End file.
